Former Biden campaign aide Ashley Allison expressed frustration on Wednesday, stating she felt "lied to" after revelations from a new book about the 2024 presidential campaign surfaced.
The book, authored by Chris Whipple, details former Biden White House chief of staff Ron Klain ’s observations that the former president appeared exhausted and "out of it" while preparing for the June debate.
"Do you feel lied to?" CNN host Abby Phillip asked Allison, who previously worked on the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign.
"Yes. I think I hadn't been around the president before that debate, and I worked for Joe Biden. And if the people around him knew that he was not capable, it is unacceptable to me that they allowed him to go onto that stage. I deserve better as a voter, not even as a Democrat, as a voter and as an American, I do," she responded.
According to an excerpt from Whipple's book, as reported by The Guardian, Klain described Biden during the debate prep as "fatigued, befuddled, and disengaged." He also noted that he was "startled" by the level of exhaustion Biden displayed and stated the former president seemed "out of it."
Phillip turned to "The View" co-host Ana Navarro, asking for her reaction to Klain’s remarks. "Ana, I know that Joe Biden is a friend. But in this excerpt, the part about the pool, he went off—this is in the middle of the debate prep—went off to the pool, and he took a nap. And that was before the biggest debate of this campaign. That’s not even the governance of the country. So Joe Biden, maybe he has the best intentions. I'm sure that you believe that. But the right decision, it seems pretty unequivocally, is that he should not have run for reelection."
Navarro, who has been a vocal supporter of Biden, said she had been in touch with Klain, who reportedly told her that his comments were taken out of context. She maintained that something seemed off about Biden’s behavior leading up to the debate.
"I've known Joe Biden for over 25 years. Certainly, the Joe Biden today is not the Joe Biden of five years ago, 20 years ago, 15 years ago, 25 years ago. It‘s not. But also, I will tell you, and I think that comes out also in the book and the excerpt that I read, something clearly happened that day, around those days, that was not the case the day after. I saw Joe Biden, 24 hours after that debate, here in New York. He was a completely different person," Navarro said.
She continued, "I saw Joe Biden when he came to ‘The View’ after he dropped out, and he was a completely different person than what we saw at that debate. What happened around those days, I don't know. And can I tell you something? I don't care, because I want to talk about the future and how we fight Donald Trump and how we get rid of Donald Trump."
Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton referred to the situation as a cover-up.
Allison reiterated her frustration, saying, "What we are hearing right now is unacceptable to me, and I am a Democrat."
Reflecting on Biden’s debate performance , she added, "That night of the debate was terrifying for many, many, it was scary. It hurt my heart, but it was very clear that that might not have been the first time. And I find that I find that unacceptable. I would find that unacceptable in a Trump administration, in an Obama administration, in a Bush administration and in a Biden administration."
The book, authored by Chris Whipple, details former Biden White House chief of staff Ron Klain ’s observations that the former president appeared exhausted and "out of it" while preparing for the June debate.
"Do you feel lied to?" CNN host Abby Phillip asked Allison, who previously worked on the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign.
"Yes. I think I hadn't been around the president before that debate, and I worked for Joe Biden. And if the people around him knew that he was not capable, it is unacceptable to me that they allowed him to go onto that stage. I deserve better as a voter, not even as a Democrat, as a voter and as an American, I do," she responded.
According to an excerpt from Whipple's book, as reported by The Guardian, Klain described Biden during the debate prep as "fatigued, befuddled, and disengaged." He also noted that he was "startled" by the level of exhaustion Biden displayed and stated the former president seemed "out of it."
Phillip turned to "The View" co-host Ana Navarro, asking for her reaction to Klain’s remarks. "Ana, I know that Joe Biden is a friend. But in this excerpt, the part about the pool, he went off—this is in the middle of the debate prep—went off to the pool, and he took a nap. And that was before the biggest debate of this campaign. That’s not even the governance of the country. So Joe Biden, maybe he has the best intentions. I'm sure that you believe that. But the right decision, it seems pretty unequivocally, is that he should not have run for reelection."
Navarro, who has been a vocal supporter of Biden, said she had been in touch with Klain, who reportedly told her that his comments were taken out of context. She maintained that something seemed off about Biden’s behavior leading up to the debate.
"I've known Joe Biden for over 25 years. Certainly, the Joe Biden today is not the Joe Biden of five years ago, 20 years ago, 15 years ago, 25 years ago. It‘s not. But also, I will tell you, and I think that comes out also in the book and the excerpt that I read, something clearly happened that day, around those days, that was not the case the day after. I saw Joe Biden, 24 hours after that debate, here in New York. He was a completely different person," Navarro said.
She continued, "I saw Joe Biden when he came to ‘The View’ after he dropped out, and he was a completely different person than what we saw at that debate. What happened around those days, I don't know. And can I tell you something? I don't care, because I want to talk about the future and how we fight Donald Trump and how we get rid of Donald Trump."
Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton referred to the situation as a cover-up.
Allison reiterated her frustration, saying, "What we are hearing right now is unacceptable to me, and I am a Democrat."
Reflecting on Biden’s debate performance , she added, "That night of the debate was terrifying for many, many, it was scary. It hurt my heart, but it was very clear that that might not have been the first time. And I find that I find that unacceptable. I would find that unacceptable in a Trump administration, in an Obama administration, in a Bush administration and in a Biden administration."
You may also like
Pro-life activist assaulted during street interview over abortion
UK crime lord issued terrifying threat amid gang war and firebombing campaign
WhatsApp Reels Are Here: Say Goodbye to Instagram & Facebook for Short Videos!
First tripartite talks between MHA, Meitei, Kuki-Zo leaders to be held today
Mangaluru: Gold seizure controversy – Probe handed over to ACP Dhanya Nayak
